This is my daily chat with #RunBlogRun viewers and track fans on all things track & field!
This is #CoffeewithLarry for Wednesday, November 9, 2022.
Our topics today;
1. Evans Chebet, winner of Boston 2022, now adds NYC 2022 to his win list. This act has not been down since 2011!
2. Sharon Lokedi, in her debut marathon, won the NYC Marathon in 2:23.23.
3. Through no fault of her own, Sharon Lokedi was not in the AIU testing pool for the World Marathon Majors.
4. The Testing pool for Marathon majors should be at 150 athletes, not the current 40.
5. Sharon Lokedi is well-loved by her fellow athletes and fans, and this NYT article created a social media backlash.
6. UA running is celebrating, rightly so, that the first athlete who wore UA head to toe has won a world marathon majors title!
7. RIP, #GeorgeYoung, 4-time Olympian, 1968 Olympic bronze medalist, steeplechase, has died. He was 85. Our condolences to his family, friends, and athletes.
#CoffeeWithLarry, #Mexico1968, #GeorgeYoung, #AthletsIntegritytUnit, #SharonLokedi, #UARunning,#RIPGeorgeYoung, #EvansChebet, #adidasrunning, #NYCMarathon,
Nice report Larry – and glad to hear you’re feeling better.
Completely with you on the drug testing.
Re: George Young – I forwarded your notice to a small group of buddies (Rodgers, Hodge, Burfoot, +++) and included this note: I met George in the fall of ’68.
He had recently returned from Mexico City with his Steeplechase Bronze and came to Tucson to visit some of his former UoA chums and watch the XC race in which I was running. It was only my second XC season ever (I played high school football – and we didn’t have XC).
Not sure how I had the hutzpah to abbreviate my warmup and introduce myself while congratulating him on his Bronze medal. He demonstrated his disappointment at having not won the Gold with his rather dismissive grunt as he shook my hand and still mustered a “Thanks”.
At the ’72 Olympic Trials in Eugene, the marathon was run on the final day. We had to finish under 2:30 as they would be closing the gate to Hayward and preparing for the 5K final (a showdown between Pre and George). I jumped into the ‘meat wagon’ around 25 miles with some of the other stragglers as we knew we wouldn’t be allowed to finish anyway – and I wanted to see the 5K. We were deposited back at Hayward where I sauntered onto the infield and watched the entire race at the top of the curve opposite the finish line – and was surely one of the very few cheering for George in “Pre’s House”.
Imagine that happening now…..NOT! 🙂
For years I intended to visit George in AZ – Jan’s parents owned a winter home in Casa Grande where George lived – while visiting and revisiting some of the amazing sites – and have him sign the T&F News cover with his photo, which I’d purchased on eBay.
Never got it done and now it’s too late.
Moral of the story – don’t wait…do it now! 🙂
Jack, Thanks for the kind words. I remember meeting you while I was at RW in the 1980s. You were always so kind to me and with my questions. I have always remembered that. Thanks for passing it around. LE
Jack,
Thanks for your note! Happy New Year!
LE